WikiLeaks releases alleged CIA hacking documents

The website dumped around 8,700 documents but has modified the actual source code from the files to prevent the distribution of cyber weapons. The most powerful of these weapons are "zero day" exploits — code that takes advantage of flaws in the software that no one else has spotted, potentially creating secret back doors that can be used over long periods.

The documents even include some snippets of code that antivirus vendors can use to detect whether a hacking attempt may have come from the CIA, said Jake Williams, founder of security company Rendition InfoSec.

"In the documents, they (the CIA) mention specific code snippets used in operational tools," Williams said. Antivirus vendors can use this to look at their customers' networks for any traces of past intrusions.